Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed an FIR into the alleged Rs 350-crore scam in the purchase of Pilatus trainer aircraft in 2009. The CBI has booked middleman and arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and ex-IAF staff and carried out raids at nine locations including at his office and residence.
The FIR is the outcome of a three-year-old inquiry by the CBI which showed prima facie case of corruption against the accused. Seventy-five aircraft were purchased from Switzerland at a cost of Rs 2,895 crore for the basic training of cadets at the Air Force Academy at Dundigal, Hyderabad.
The Swiss firm was one of the bidders for the aircraft deal. The CBI alleges that Pilatus Aircraft Limited of Switzerland, the manufacturer, entered into a criminal conspiracy with Sanjay Bhandari and Bimal Sareen, directors of Offset India Solutions Private Limited, New Delhi.
“The Swiss company signed a service provider agreement with Sanjay Bhandari in June 2010 in violation of the defence procurement procedure, 2008 to obtain the contract for supply for 75 basic trainer aircraft to the IAF. The company made a huge payment into the account of Offset India Solutions,” the CBI said in its FIR.
